Vodafone exec reportedly in the lead to become the next CEO of Rogers

January 2014 is fast approaching. This is when Nadir Mohamed, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rogers, will retire. When this news broke last February, Rogers noted that they’ll organize a “committee and select a search firm to begin an international search.”

This search for the correct candidate to lead Rogers into the future is nearing its end. A report in the Globe and Mail states that Rogers has reached out to former execs from TELUS and AT&T, plus reportedly leaning towards hiring Guy Laurence, the current Chief Executive of Vodafone’s UK Operations. However, as expected, both Rogers and Laurence declined to comment on the speculation.

Let’s hope he can put at least some part of the business model into practice here.

It’s Me

Hopefully not too much. Remember, the UK carriers were all planning to bring in 3 year contracts a few years back (having watched how successful the Canadian carriers were at it when they all worked together to ensure there was no other choice) until their regulator squashed it. He might like the looser regulation here in Canada as we’ve historically allowed carrier behavior that is unheard of in the rest of the world.

It’s Me

Maybe he’ll decline and bring Vodafone to Canada.

Going from CEO of Vodafone, even if just their UK operations, to Rogers would seem like a step down.

Liberal Phone Person

probably wont happen. although Vodafone just got a cool 130 billion in the bank from verizon. so if they wanted to there’s not a lot that can stop them.

It’s Me

Probably, but one can hope.

Mentalgasp

Are you kidding? Vodafone is a cellular provider. Guy will soon be at the helm of Canada’s leading Cable, Wireless and Media empire. Step up for Guy I’d say.

It’s Me

Certainly he will be in charge of more products and services, but Vodafone is still a monster compared to Rogers, in size, reach and prestige.

Mentalgasp

Agreed re: size/reach however with such a diverse portfolio as Rogers has, I think this is a new challenge for Guy altogether – obviously one that was attractive enough for him to accept the job. Hope he will bring more prestige!

sicsicpuppy

He looks trustworthy …..

Blocknards

The “Get into my van” kind of trustworthy…

canuck07

He’ll find his new job a lot easier.

EvanKrosney

No need to streamline operations in Canada, our solution is always to just gouge the customers even more.

hardy83

UK prices will only come to Canada if the federal oversight and regulations come with it.

And they won’t.

Roger Payne

You can expect UK prices when we get a UK population/density.

UK population: 63+ M UK desnity: 256/sq. km

US population: 316+ M US density: 34/sq. km

Canada population: 34+ M Canada density: 3.41/sq. km

Learn about economies of scale and then do the math. Then the rest will make sense. More competition can certainly be added in Canada and there’s room for prices to drop. But comparing other regions is an apples to oranges comparison if not looked at properly within context.

Tom

Yeah, and despite the lower population density, there are a ton of things which are cheaper in Canada than in the UK. Like the outright cost of devices for example. Yes, I know UK prices include the 20% VAT, but if you add the 13% Ontario VAT to the Canadian price and then compare it to the VAT-included UK price, it almost always tends to be lower. Same for video games, game consoles, automobiles, etc.

E.g. the new Xbox is launching at $500 CAD – with 13% tax that’s $565 or just under 350 GBP. In the UK, it’s launching at 429 GBP tax included. That’s an eighty quid premium in a market that’s supposedly more competitive.

In fact, when compared to other developed countries, Canada tends to have the lowest price increase relative to US pricing on a heck of a lot of consumer goods.

But then why isn’t cell service something that’s cheaper in Canada despite the Canadian market being less competitive?

My theory: Due to Canada’s proximity to the US, companies can’t gouge us TOO much on items that are relatively easy to import from down south (e.g. off contract phones, video games) – otherwise they’d just lose every dollar of business to the US. Nor can the government go trigger happy with tariffs otherwise they’d cause an economic collapse and mass migration down south. However cell service isn’t exactly something you can “import” so they can seriously gouge us there since they know we have no viable foreign alternative.

On the other hand the UK and the rest of the EU aren’t exactly a stone’s throw away from the US… so the governments can go trigger happy with tariffs despite the competitive regional market.

wildspin

Interesting. Perhaps he is going to pull a Elop at Rogers? 😉

J-Ro

Well, they just lost their 45% in Verizon, So they are on the lookout for another NA telecom giant.

wildspin

To many Rogers employees, this could potentially turn into a nightmare much worse than Verizon coming to Canada

Billy

Wouldn’t it be funny if some of those people in the Fair for Canada ads, or people who were just weeks ago strongly supports their company, are now let go?

Sweet

From what I read, Vodafone is planning on using the cash to expand operations in Europe instead.

J-Ro

I seen something similar to that too. They promised 4G in the coming months too.

abc123

We get all riled about bringing in foreign workers and not hiring Canadian… so what does Rogers do? They hire a foreign worker… do the rules not apply to the elite?

Canucks

It is funny but isn’t Canada build up by immigrants? If he has to be CEO of Rogers, then he needs to move to Canada. No?

You are talking about two different subjects. One is foreign workers working at foreign third world countries to avoid paying taxes. One is foreign workers moving to Canada and working here which they need to pay taxes just like us in Canada.

abc123

It’s not about taxes. It’s about giving away jobs to non-Canadians. If you visited the fair for canada website (which the big 3 setup) and watched the sob story video about Canadians losing jobs if a huge foreign competitor entered the wireless sector, you would be convinced that they (the big 3) were advocating saving Canadians and their jobs… then out of the blue, they hire a foreigner. A CEO’s position is job just like a CSR or a janitor.

Canucks

The ones that pay tax in Canada and the ones that don’t contribute anything in Canada are the difference.

worried

Didn’t he cut a boatload of jobs at vodaphone in his “rebuilding” phase?

Cam C

With profit margins the way Rogers has them, why would they need to rebuild? Nadir, while being vilified from a customer standpoint, would be hailed from a shareholder one for streamlining operations at Rogers – they had a bunch of layoffs a year or so ago to reduce expenses and all of that. I wouldn’t know if that would be as necessary. Of course I dont know what the status of Vodafone was when this guy slashed jobs etc at that time.

Amparipaa

rogers should bring in Tim Cook over at Apple to become their CEO

ToniCipriani

They don’t need to. The Big 3 is already adopting Apple’s strategy already. Releasing the same crappy plans over and over again.